"Virtue is its own punishment." - Aneurin Bevan

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Reviews of Penetrating Wagner's "Ring" by John L. DiGaetani:

A: When I initially came across Wagner's Ring it was like a revelation. I couldn't quite put my finger on it - but I wanted to. Within minutes of dimming my lights and burying my head into it I became enveloped in its cavernous depths. Now having withdrawn, I feel that by entering the ring myself, a little hole in me has been filled. I thoroughly recommend everyone to take the plunge into Wagner's wonderful piece.

B: Before reading this book, the thought of penetrating Wagner's "Ring" left me cold. Why would I go near Wagner's musty old "Ring", I thought, when there were so many younger, more supple pieces available to me? Surely Wagner's "Ring" would seem worn and battered from nearly two centuries of over-use?

How wrong I was! What this book shows, and what many other reviewers have clearly experienced, is that Wagner's "Ring", despite its great age, is still full of life, freshness and verve, and that there are still great rewards to be had from treading this well-trodden path. Full of insightful comments from the many men and women who have played in Wagner's "Ring", often dressed as Valkyries, this book is an invaluable guide to extracting pleasure from Wagner's much-abused piece.

C: What you get out of Wagner's Ring depends on what you put into it. When first approached, it can seem dry and unyielding, but if you persevere and work your way into it, like millions before you you may find it spectacularly productive. This book is a thrusting, forceful aid to gaining full knowledge of Wagner's all-encompassing Ring. Dive between the covers and feel the Ring open up to allow you complete access.

D: Wagners Ring will be huge!!!!
Can I be Frank?
Experiencing Wagner's "Ring" during the long winter nights was brilliant...I have never enjoyed myself so much in my whole life. His Ring kept me up for hours during the night and into the small hours of the morning. I recommend that everybody at least dips into Wagner's Ring now and again. If like me, you are a hardened reader, why not give Wagners Ring a good going over. It is very apparent that Wagner's Ring is expansive. I got lost in it for days. Many people have studied his Ring, few have mastered it.
Penetrating Wagner's Ring isn't just a book - It's a hobby, and for some people a career.

E: I have read the excellent scholarly contributions by Messrs Redhart, Schwartz and Reaney, amongst others, and just had to get involved. What a subject, and what a book! The expansiveness of Wagner's Ring often leaves one panting for breath, and anyone lucky enough to have even half-probed its depths deserves full recognition. Even without the messy bits, this sixteen-hour musical epic leaves one with no alternative but to reacharound for academic help. And this book provides it, and more. Stimulating, it cannot fail to tickle the imagination as it enters the Ring from every conceivable angle--musical/practical, theoretical, historical and cultural. For fans of all things Ring-like, this is a must.

F: Penetrating Wagner's Ring is a wonderful way to spend many a lazy afternoon, or even the odd fun-filled weekend!
At first I found it difficult - Wagner's ring is not the most accessible piece - but as time passed, and I became more comfortable with the hole idea, I found myself sinking into Wagner's ring more and more, and now, it is one of my favourite things to do.
For those who have never experienced Wagner's Ring, I highly recommend it - it is a life changing experience, and once you encounter the joy and pleasure of the ring piece you will most definitely never go back!
Penetrating Wagner's Ring made me the man I am today - everyone should try it, and don't worry if you find it difficult, it gets easier with practice.
My one issue with penetrating Wagner's ring is the cost - I know penetrating wagner's ring is popular, but I think gaining a deeper insight into Wagner's ring is beyond most people at this price.

G: Having read the previous reviews on this book, and having asked first, I quickly dived head-first into 'Wagners Ring'. I have to say, although difficult at first, I quickly got up to speed and enjoyed it immensely. In fact, at the end the experience was so moving, I shed a single tear although it also left me completely drained!

I found 'Penetrating Wagners Ring' welcoming, warm and an experience I should hope to return to again and again.

H: Like many, I first experimented with exploring the Ring in my college years; back then, even with my professor regularly driving home his point, I failed to find much enjoyment in its depths. (Perhaps the prospect of embarrassment in front of a classroom full of peers was the turn-off!) But now, coming to it alone and at my own slow but steady pace, I've found that this sort of deep exploration can be supremely satisfying. Penetrating Wagner's Ring, to me, has provided a way in to something that I previously thought was just a big, dark void in my schooling. And I admit, it was daunting at first... but I bit my lip, rolled up my sleeves, knuckled down, and groped around until I found something exciting and inviting in that Ring.

Though Wagner has been dead for more than a century, his Ring is still worth exploring. Dig deep, sweep away the cobwebs, and crack the spine of this book, and you may find that something others consider cold and lifeless will open up to you in ways you never expected. I certainly did, and now I can finally appreciate the education my old professor was trying to pound into me.

I: An excellent piece of work on Wagner's Ring, getting right to the bottom of this seminal work. To my mind, his writing is absolutely cock-on, and a great roadmap to anyone exploring the Ring for the first time.

Wagner's Ring, whilst large and expansive, exerts tight control over all who are prepared to delve in there, and this book really does give it that final polish.